WWE 2K23 guide: How to unlock The Rock '12?

The roster of WWE 2K23 would not be complete without the presence of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. While his focus has primarily been on Hollywood lately, his popularity in wrestling has not diminished. His charisma and presence in the ring are still widely appreciated by the crowd.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this year’s wrestling sports title not only include him on the roster but have multiple variations of him.

The Rock ‘12 is a variation that many players wonder how to unlock. Those scouring through the Virtual Credit shop might come out empty-handed as he is unavailable there. However, he is in the game and can be unlocked in a different mode.

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How to unlock The Rock ‘12 from the Showcase mode in WWE 2K23

Each year, the Showcase mode features a superstar and their career highlights. It is a game mode that allows players to follow a wrestler through their career highlights by playing those matches. WWE 2K23 follows John Cena, but instead of highlighting his career high points, this year’s title has decided to showcase his greatest losses.

One of those losses was at WrestleMania 28, held on April 1, 2012, at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The night's main event was John Cena versus The Rock, where the former ultimately lost.

To unlock The Rock ‘12 as a playable character in WWE 2K23, players must complete WrestleMania 28 in the Showcase mode. After doing so, they can select The Rock ‘12 as a playable character from the roster. This variation of The Rock holds his look from that legendary night.

The Showcase mode also has several variations of John Cena and other wrestlers to unlock, so players should try to complete this mode if they are trying to use them all.

Most other Superstars can be found in the Virtual Currency Shop, and there are a few spread around other modes. Many wrestlers will be introduced in the upcoming DLC packs, so players should also watch out for those.

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Universe mode and revamped Rivalry systems

Players interested in creating their own stories in WWE 2K23 can look to this mode. The Universe mode allows for deep customization of matches as well as match events. The reworked Rivalry system creates deep and interesting conflicts between two wrestlers. These changes have brought over a hundred new animations, match conditions, and effects.

WWE 2K23 was released on March 17, 2023, and can be played on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.